


Crush

by Measured



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:01:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25002787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: On the Day of Devotion, Noire's confession doesn't quite come out like it was planned.
Relationships: Loran | Laurent/Noire
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Crush

**Author's Note:**

> we are just going to pretend Laurent is in FEH, because he damn well should be already. Also, a Day of Devotion alt for Gaius would be perfect. He'd be so happy to be surrounded by all those sweets.
> 
> This came out so shoujo...Eventually I just went with it because it was amusing me so much. (Though honestly, Laurent being a masochist is actually right fitting with the tropes. The glasses guys are generally secret sadists or masochists.) Also apparently that lean in thing is called a kabedon? The more you know.
> 
> Oh and one more note: I legit could not figure out how to tag this after spending some time looking through what to label it, but as per their supports, there is some kinky aspects. As in Laurent getting hot and bothered over her going Blood and Thunder. It's pretty PG-13, though.
> 
> Noire's dad is Gaius, Laurent's dad is Robin.

Noire arrived slightly late to the festival. Her parents had already come ahead of her, but Noire had lost her talisman momentarily, only to find it in her satchel all along, buried beneath feathers she picked up along the way, to fix her arrows. Clothes had been left on her bed for the festival, and Noire had dressed for the occasion, with a white v-neck shirt with a feather inlay at her neckline, dark green pants, and flowers in her hair.

Her bow was a glorious gold, with elegant white winged edges. T arrows were pink and tipped with heart-shaped arrows. Flowers filled her hair, which was inconvenient, as petals fell every time she walked. 

Noire surveyed the sidelines. Mother probably wouldn't like this festival, with all the people, and happiness, and most of all the people, but father sure would.

Noire clutched to her bow as she walked through the crowd. All around her were such happy people. It never would've been like this in her world. She could scarcely believe that this happiness and peace would last.

The cobblestones were covered with petals. All around her was laughter and love, other happy people. If only Noire could be that happy. Noire always felt the intense fear at every turn, and the glum, dark view which made her see storm clouds in every bright day.

She stopped at a white painted stall and bought two chocolate bundles, and put them in her satchel, before heading out again.

She finally caught up to her father unsurprisingly, at a stall of treats.

Father's eyes glinted with untold glee as he took in the festivities. Of course, a whole holiday of giving chocolate to the ones you love was his perfect holiday. She had a feeling that several of the chocolate that he bought for his "loved ones" would get extensively sampled, if not completely devoured. 

He nibbled on a chocolate heart, one that she could already see was from mother, as it had a surprisingly dark aura. Gaius didn't seem to mind the, um, extra magic involved with making it.

Father had donned a new outfit for the festivities. A long black cloak edged in gold, and a large winged bow was slung over his shoulder. His satchel was bursting with sweets. Noire couldn't tell if they had been pilfered or simply given. With father, she could never tell. His pants and boots, and even his gloves were edged with gold.

Noire had to admit, she oh so liked it when father used bows. It felt comforting. After all, he was the one who taught her how to fire. He'd brought her that new bow when she was young, and been so gentle and patient as he instructed her on how to hold it, how to take care of her bow, and so on.

He nodded as she came closer.

"Hey, stormy," he said.

"Here you go, father. I got some for you," Noire said.

She held out the little bundle out to him. (She'd only gotten one for her father. Mother didn't like sweets much.)

"Aw, thanks. This is a nice festival. You know, it's apparently a custom to give chocolates to the ones you love."

"The ones you love?" she echoed.

"Yup."

She'd boughten one more bundle of chocolate with someone in mind.

For months, Noire had been biting her tongue, unable to quite just say what she felt. But maybe today, she could gather enough courage, even if it required use of her talisman to force the words out.

But, she'd have to hurry. Not only might other _hyenas_ come in and confess--Laurent was likely to disappear into the nearest library or bookstore at any given moment and not return for hours, and there were a lot of those around here. She might even loose track of him all day. In fact, the hyenas would be so taken with seeing Laurent's studiousness, she'd only find him again at the wedding. 

Noire always found a way to jump to conclusions. She found every shadow and horrors in every room. Her mind was exhausting, but she couldn't outrun this fear, no matter how hard she tried.

"Father, take this to mother, would you? I have to go do something...right this instant, before it is too late..."

"Good luck," he said. "Though, I don't think you'll need it."

He ruffled her hair in a surprise movement. Her blush turned into a grimace. "DO NOT TEST ME, WEAKLING MORTAL."

But, Gaius knew her well enough to do little more than smirk. After all, he was used to mother's antics, too...

"I-I mean, thank you, father," Noire said quickly.

She left before she lost her cool again, and went and did something rash, like pelt him with chocolate.

*

Petals rained down around them like snow. Each step she took was muffled by little white flowers, all across the lovely cobblestone square. Little stalls of goods and gifts were lined up and filled with things like gifts for the Day of Devotion, sweets, jewelry, and many, many flowers.

She caught sight of Laurent near several stalls of goods, though at this angle she could not see what had so drawn his attention. 

Laurent wore far different clothes than his usual scholar and mage's robes. It was a white, high-necked shirt with gilded embroidery. Just peeking out of his satchel on the ground was a small bouquet of white roses. His hat lay right near his satchel. Usually his face was shaded by his wide-brimmed hat, but today his auburn hair was tinged by the petals as well. Some had fallen in his hair, but he hadn't brushed them away, for he was so enraptured by something she couldn't quite see. Probably a book, knowing him.

He looked like a prince. Noire clutched the chocolate tighter to her chest, as her heart beat faster.

"Ah...Laurent, um..."

Laurent smiled as he caught sight of her.

"There you are, Noire. I was looking for you."

"Y-You were?"

Noire glanced away.

"Here, I....I just wanted to say....um..."

She held the bundle of chocolate out so quickly that it almost came out almost like she was bowing.

"You probably don't even like sweet things, but--Ihopeyouenjoyit."

"This is quite unexpected--but in a good way."

"And...I wanted to tell you....that I...."

 _Crush_ was such a strange word for affection, because when she thought of the word crush, she thought about gripping her talisman and screaming how she would crush her enemies. And even then, this feeling seemed more than that, even if she didn't have the words to say it. What was a word between like and love--even the thought of the word 'love' made her blush?

This feeling seemed so much more. She _liked_ tea in the morning, she _liked_ the satisfaction of her arrow finding its mark on the training ground. None of these feelings came close to how intense the feelings for him had grown in these past months since they came to the outskirts of yet another world. But every time she tried to describe it, even to herself, she'd blush and get into a cycle of screaming, and a rain of arrows. Which was good for battle, but not so good in the middle of lunch--or now, in a festival setting.

Noire blushed deep. "Um.... I-I....have...crush....ahem...on....on...."

No, it wasn't enough. As far as confessions went, this was pathetic, probably the worst confession ever made in history. She just couldn't get the words out, and each moment she embarrassed herself more. But her talisman, that would give her the strength to finally say everything she wanted to say. She clutched the talisman tight with a prayer for strength.

She laughed cruelly, and leaned into the wall with one hand, effectively pinning Laurent to the wall.

The action was so sudden, that his glasses fell down his nose. He stared down at her, full of wide-eyed surprise. "N-Noire?"

"I WILL CRUSH YOU! BECOME MY SERVANT! I WILL COLLAR YOU AND KEEP YOU ON A LEASH AS YOU LICK MY BOOTS. BE BRANDED AS MINE AND MINE ALONE, AND KNEEL BEFORE ME! I WILL DOMINATE YOU BENEATH MY HEEL!"

Laurent's cheeks suddenly flushed as her mind cleared from the effect of the talisman, and she came back to herself.

"Noire, that is...I've wanted to hear you say those words for so long...I'm overjoyed! Oh, yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I accept your feelings! Oh, I can hardly wait for the sting of your heel upon me..."

She realized she was pinning him--a feat, considering that he was quite a bit taller than her. "Oh, sorry..."

"Don't be! Truly, the hint of your strength is quite wonderful. I cannot wait to feel your heel, as promised."

"My heal? But I can't use staves, you're the staff user..."

"Heel, your boot--I could go on and on..."

" _Heel?_ Um, I think I went a little too far."

Laurent pushed up his glasses. His face was still noticeably flushed. "I would argue that you did not go nearly far enough. At least, not yet."

"Oh no, did I say something weird? I-I didn't threaten you, did I?"

"Threaten? I would call it more a promise. One that I hope you fulfill soon, for the sake of my ardor."

"Um, um, what I wanted to say was...." Noire glanced down, to hide her blush. "T-thank you. You've been very patient and kind to me all this time. Coming to the future, fighting the Fell dragon and then being summoned to this land, it was all very hard on me. You always helped me and were vary patient with me. Every time I was afraid and worried, you comforted me and helped me, even if I yelled at you. And I'm very thankful for that, even if sometimes I...lost my temper and screamed at you. You've never held such...outbursts against me, and I'm very grateful for that."

"Of course, I am glad to always help you, Noire. I want nothing but your continued and unending happiness... But what of what you spoke earlier?"

"Uh...I don't really remember what happens when that side of me comes forth very well. But that side is very...blunt, and truthful. She does not lie."

"Then the feelings you spoke then are true?" Laurent said eagerly.

"The feelings...The truth is... I..." she looked away suddenly. "...like you..."

"I'm sorry, in the din of the festival, I did not hear you. Please speak up and repeat yourself," Laurent said.

A cruel expression came over her face. "I SAID I LIKE YOU, YOU UTTER BLATHERING FOOL! YOU ARE A WORTHY SERVANT TO KNEEL BEFORE ME!"

Laurent took a deep and shuddering breath through his nose. "O-Oh, how I would love to....right here, in front of the crowds, I would swear my fealty and devotion..."

"O-ooh, I-I'm sorry, I lost control again."

Why was it so hard to just say those words. Just that she liked everything about him, from the way he furrowed his brow in thought, how he easily led the team and kept them all together, even when things felt so dire. How even though he was stern, he'd always been kind to her. 

"I just...like you. Everything about you, really..."

"Sorry," she said again, needlessly this time.

"No, never apologize for who you are," he said. "Because that's what I like about you."

"L-Like?"

"Love, in fact. I love everything about you."

He bent down and reached into his bag.

"This is for you. You beat me to confessing to you, though I could've hardly been prepared for such a wonderful confession...I feel as if I could not match to such a confession, so let me put it bluntly: I adore you completely, in every single way you are perfect to me. It seems almost illogical just how utterly I am enraptured with you, like it would be something in ribald overwritten romances, but so it is. I have been considering a confession for quite some time, but it had to be perfected. Of course, now in the ninety-third draft, I cannot remember the words. I was so stunned in awe by your confession, so this will have to do."

"N-ninety-three?"

"Well, closer to ninety-three and a quarter. In fact, I was working on it just this very last night. Every time I thought it perfected, I would find something more I like about you, and have to revise it. As of yet, it is sixty pages and counting."

"Sixty pages! Really...Sixty pages of things you like about me?"

"Yes! Though tonight, I feel as if it may reach a hundred yet when I revise it tonight."

She bit her lower lip. "Ehe...you're still working on that?"

"Well, I want you to know the full depth and breadth of my feelings. Even if my plans of it being the first confession have changed, I still want you to hear every word."

And it was so like him, to perfect and work so hard. She smiled gently at the thought of him working late into the night, all for her sake.

Noire couldn't think of a single thing she liked about herself, but Laurent had found almost enough to fill an entire book.

The soft petals of the roses brushed against her cheeks as she buried her nose deep to breathe in the delicate scent.

_What's a word for more than a crush? What's a word for more than like?_

_Maybe it's just love._

"When I was choosing flowers, roses reminded me of you. Their fragile elegance, the bite of their wonderful thorns." He smiled then, and yes, she could add his smile to the list of things she liked about him, a thousand times over.

"I believe considering the signs, I have always held certain feelings of fondness for you as well. I was so focused upon the war that I did not look deeper into my concern for you, so I personally theorize they have been with me for some time, even before I took to perfecting the confession and thoroughly researching how one would properly become 'dreamy.'"

"I'm so happy...."

A clatter behind them cut through the sunny day, and her rosy feelings. Laurent's expression turned decidedly annoyed as he caught sight of the enemy, daring to trash the Day of Devotion of all things.

Noire knew this would come. She never could have a moment of happiness without it being destroyed by foul creatures. The Fell dragon, Risen, and now the opposing armies here that would even dare to come to this festival.

"How inconvenient for this Day of Devotion to be so cruelly interrupted. There is nothing more than to defeat these intruders so the festivities can resume," Laurent said.

Rage came over her face. "I WILL CRUSH THEM."

Laurent watched with rapt attention at her outburst. "Oh, and I will love to see it, and be by your side as you crush all of them.... To watch you destroy them so thoroughly will certainly be a sight to behold...I'm so grateful to be by your side now and forever, and shall deeply await each explosion of such fury and power."

"I'll keep you safe. If any of the enemy comes near, I'll shoot them right between the eyes. I WILL SEND THEM TO HELL!"

He stayed close, and they were in tune, in time, in tandem. Each attack came side by side, and his magic hit like a shower of flowers around them.

Once they cleaned up this mess, they could get back to the rest of their lives. With Laurent's hand in hers, Noire felt stronger, and happier for the first time that she could remember.


End file.
